Fire at Washington home kills husband, sons of missing woman

The smoldering remains of a house, left, where an explosion killed Josh Powell and his two sons, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012, is shown from the air in Graham, Wash. The explosion occurred moments after a Child Protective Services worker brought the two boys to the home for a supervised visit. Powell's wife Susan went reportedly missing from their West Valley City, Utah, home in December 2009.

John Froschauer / AP

Eliana and her mother Jennifer Bakley hug while Melissa Phillips look over the smoldering remains of a house near Fredrickson, Wash., Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012, where, according to a sheriff's spokesman, three bodies were were found. The bodies are believed to be Josh Powell and his two sons. The explosion occurred moments after a Child Protective Services worker brought the two boys to the home for a supervised visit.

John Froschauer / AP

Pierce County Sheriff's deputies and Graham Firefighters work around the smoldering remains of a house near Fredrickson, Wash., Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012, where, according to a sheriff's spokesman, three bodies were were found. The bodies are believed to be Josh Powell and his two sons. The explosion occurred moments after a Child Protective Services worker brought the two boys to the home for a supervised visit.

msnbc.com staff and news services:

Authorities say the husband of a missing Utah woman intentionally set his Washington home on fire Sunday, killing him and his two young sons shortly after the boys were brought to the home by a social worker for a supervised visit.

Neighbors had reported hearing an explosion, but Pierce County sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer said Josh Powell's home was destroyed by a fast-moving fire that blew out several windows and was aided by some sort of accelerant. Read the full story.